NFL Draft 2022: NFC East Grades, Best Selections Made By Each Team

Dallas Cowboys

Picks

• Round 1, No. 24: Tyler Smith, OT, Tulsa
• Round 2, No. 56: Sam Williams, LB, Ole Miss
• Round 3, No. 88: Jalen Tolbert, WR, South Alabama
• Round 4, No. 129: Jake Ferguson, TE, Wisconsin
• Round 5, No. 155: Matt Waletzko, OT, North Dakota
• Round 5, No. 167: DaRon Bland, CB, Fresno State
• Round 5, No. 176: Damone Clark, LB, LSU
• Round 5, No. 178: John Ridgeway, DT, Arkansas
• Round 6, No. 193: Devin Harper, LB, Oklahoma State

This NFL Draft was pivotal for the reigning divisional champs. The departure of many key weapons, especially on the offensive and defensive line, saw a need for quality young talent to fill the void.

Unfortunately for Jerry Jones and the Cowboys, it doesn’t look like the scouts did their due diligence, at least based on expert opinion. With the loss of Connor Williams and La’el Collins, one of the immediate needs was the offensive line. While they did draft two offensive tackles, the players chosen seemed to be run-of-the-mill compared to players taken after.

There were very talented edge defenders and first-round pick, Tyler Smith, could have presumably been drafted in later rounds. The future will tell if this draft was boom or bust for the Cowboys most likely sooner rather than later.

Overall Grade: C-

Best Selection: Jalen Tolbert

Jalen Tolbert adds tremendous value for a team that lost a lot of production with the exit of Amari Cooper. Tolbert’s 1,474 receiving yards and eight touchdowns made him more than deserving of the Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year in 2021. Checking his film, you’d see a very athletic receiver that can make acrobatic catches through traffic. He’s not a burner but knows how to use his body and tracks the ball well. He can definitely be a good compliment to CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup in the Cowboys passing attack.